Armed with a raft of new tech-based initiatives, higher yields and some solid growth in the sub-broker space, Envoyage New Zealand is facing the year ahead with optimism.
“We had a strong start to the year, followed by a challenging last quarter driven by shifting global politics and the Middle East conflict,” Envoyage New Zealand gm Jason Buckley said at the brand’s annual Summit conference in Adelaide at the weekend. “It’s been four months of genuinely turbulent trading: ceasefires announced then reversed, flight paths closing and reopening, airlines rerouting, client itineraries unravelling with little notice.”
But he says the key message is that despite the disruption members shone, stepping in with expertise and reassurance when booking platforms and airlines fell short. “And the growth this year happened because of, not despite, the hard
conditions.”
While the Middle East situation has tested its members, Buckley says it also proved an opportunity to provide travellers ‘with confidence at a time when the easy answer was stay at home’.
. . . Sub-brokers
As the brand matures, Envoyage has seen substantial growth at the sub-broker level, says Buckley. “We now have 52 businesses across the network operating with more than one lead broker across agencies, branches and divisions,” he says.“We’ve welcomed 36 new sub brokers in the last 12 months—and we are expecting that to continue to grow as our members continue to grow their businesses.”
Envoyage’s future focus continues to be around growing yield and future growth through its members, not around them, adds Buckley. “Today Envoyage is a
network of businesses looking for growth and each having an entrepreneurial mindset,” he says, adding that the brand is also focused on building a sustainable future travel business.
. . . Hi-tech Plans
Envoyage is leveraging off the might of the wider Flight Centre Travel Group, but the brand is aslo creating its own hi-tech opportunities and purpose-built tech solutions.
AI is being increasingly incorporated into how members access information, Envoyage has completed the consolidation of Tramada to a single platform and Buckley says its marketing tool subscriptions are up 65%, with just over 60% of
the network utilising the offering.
“We are focused on continuing to adapt our offering and keep pace in the ever-changing tech space,” says Buckley.
“We have a number of new tech-based initiatives set to roll out in the coming months which are designed to position our members to maximise the market opportunities across websites, social media, and tools to continue to increase
efficiencies. including AI.”
